North Carolina ranked 7th in nation in bad driving

Wednesday

Dec 18, 2013 at 12:01 AM

CHRISTOPHER THOMAS - Daily News Staff

Put down your phones and drive.

That’s the message from Trooper J.D. Kirk of the N.C. Highway Patrol, who said he believes distracted driving is the main reason North Carolina was ranked 7th among the nation's worst drivers in a recent survey.

“If you’re thumbing on your phone or on your GPS and you look down for a second or two, that can cause you to run into the car in front of you,” Kirk said.

According to a survey conducted by the website Car Insurance Comparison, North Carolina is tied for 7th with Missouri for poor driving. In 2011, the last time Car Insurance Comparison conducted this survey, North Carolina was two spots outside of the top 10.

The data for the survey came from information from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, National Motorists Association and Mothers Against Dunk Driving.

Though the North Carolina General Assembly passed a law banning texting and driving in 2009, Kirk said there’s still a problem with careless driving due to text messaging behind the wheel. North Carolina ranked among the bottom 10 in careless driving.

According to Kirk, enforcing texting and driving laws can be difficult since drivers are able to keep their phone below the line of sight.

“We’ve gone as far as putting (troopers) in plain clothes in unmarked vehicles to try and look out for it,” Kirk said. “Texting and driving is an ongoing problem we’re still fighting.”

Kirk says he felt disheartened when he heard about the survey’s results and says he feels drivers need to keep their heads clear in order to keep the roads clear of wrecks, especially with the distractions the holiday season offers.

“People have a lot on their minds, and they’re thinking about everything else besides what’s in front of them,” Kirk said. “They’re trying to get to a certain store before they sell out of something, and you’re not paying attention to the road. All it takes to get into a crash is one or two seconds of not paying attention.”

Beth Purcell with the Jacksonville Police Department said the more common causes of traffic problems in Jacksonville include speeding and failing to signal, a problem she believes can be solved with motorists remembering the Golden Rule.

“If you expect other people to obey the laws and drive safely, then so should you,” Purcell said.

For Giovani Benini, who has been living in Jacksonville for three years, distracted driving is his biggest pet peeve, as well as the most common thing he’s seen while driving around town. From what he’s observed, it’s also common household activities that are causing local drivers to keep their eyes off the road.

“I see people shaving and putting on makeup all the time when I’m driving,” Benini said. “It’s crazy and it’s irresponsible. I think we need to train people from the time they’re small children to stay focused on their driving.”

The state declined in all but two categories — fatalities per 100 million miles and tickets — since the 2011 survey. The biggest drop came in the careless driving category, where the state went from 31st to 44th.

Christopher Thomas is a staff writer for the Daily News. To contact him, call 910-219-8473 or send an e-mail to christopher.thomas@jdnews.com.